Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-08-19

quarter of a mile or so-for the hillside
was steep-we came to a splendid ounce
fence. also covered with fruit, which in
closed, Mr.. Mackenzie told US, a space OF
about four acres of ground that comprised
his private garden, house, church, and out
buildings, and, indeed, the whole hill top
And what a garden it was! l have always
loved good garden, and / could have
thrown up my hands for JOY when l saw
Mr.. MackenZie's First there were rows
upon rows of standard European fruit-trees,
all grated; for on the top of this hill the
climate was so temperate that very nearly
all the English vegetables, trees, and flow
ers flourish luxuriantly, even including
several varieties of the apple, which, gen
orally speaking, runs to wood in a warm
climate and obstinately declines to fruit
Then there were strawberries and toma-
toes (such tomatoesg, and melons, and GU
cumbers, and, indeed, every sort Of vegeta-
able and fruit.
"Weil, you have something like a gar
den" said, overpowered with admiration
not untouched by envy.
Eyes" answered the missionary, 1T is a
very good garden, and has well repaid my
labor; but it is the climate that | have to
thank. If you stick peach-stone into the
ground it will bear fruit the fourth year,
and a rose-cutting will bloom in year. 1t
is lovely cline"
Just then we came to ditch about ten
feet wide, and full Of water, on the other
side Of which was a lOOp-holed stone wall
eight feet high, and with sharp fints plent-
fully set in mortar on the coping.
THERE" said Mr. Mackenzie, pointing
TO the ditch and wall; this is my mdgnuns
opus; at least, this and the church, which
is the other side of the house. 1t took me
and twenty natives two years to dig the
ditch and build the wall, but | never felt
safe till il was done; and now | can defy
all thu sayagcs in Africa, for the spring
that fills the ditch is inside the wall, and
bubbles out at the top Of the hill, winter
and summer alike, and | always keep a
store Of four months provisions in the
house"
Crossing over plank and through very
narrow opening in the wall, we entered in
TO what Mrs. Mackenzie called her domain;
namely, tho flower garden, the beauty Of
which it is really beyond my power to de-
scribe. do not think ] ever saw such
roses, gardenias, or camellias (all reared
from seeds or cuttings sent from England);
and there was also patch given up to a
collection of Dubious roots, mostly collect
ed by Miss Flossie, Mr.. MackcnZie's little
daughter, from the surrounding country,
some of which were surprisingly beauti-
full. In the middle Of this garden, and ex-
actly opposite the veranda n beautiful
fountain of clear water dubbed up from
the ground and fell into stone-work
toll, fI1l mil 10
ceive it, whence the overthrow found its
way by means of a drain to the moat round
the outer WALL this moat in its turn serv-
ing as reservoir, whence an unfailing
supply Of water was available to trrigate
all the gardens below. The house itself, a
massively built, single stored building,
was rooted with slabs of stone, and had q
handsome veranda In front 1t was built
on three sides of IA square the fourth side
being taken up by the kitchens, which
stood separate from the housc-a very
good plan in Il hot country. In the center
of the square thus formed. was, perhaps,
the most remarkable object that we had
yet seen in this charming place, and that
was SingIr tree If the confer tribe, yari-
cites OF which grew freely on tho highlands
of this part of Africa This splendid tree,
which Mr. Mackenzie informed Us was a
landmark for fifty miles around, and which
we had ourselves seen for the last forty
miles of our journey must have been near.
ly three hundred feet in height, the trunk
measuring about sixteen feet in diameter
Mt yard from the ssrruul For nearly
seventy feet il rose q beautiful, tappTing
brown pillar without Il single branch; but
at that height splendid dark green boughs
which, looked at from below, had the APP
pearance of gigantic fern leaves, sprang
out horizontally from the trunk projecting
right over the house and flower garden, to
both of which they furnished u grateful
proportion of shade, without-being 50
high up-otrering any impeachment to the
passage of light and air.
'What a beautiful tree" exclaimed Sir
Henry.
eyes, you are right; it is Il beautiful tree
There is not another like il in all the coun-
try round, that | know Of" answered Mr..
Mackenzie. II call it my watch-tower.
AS you see, have rope ladder fixed to
the lowest Dough, and if | want to see any
thing that is going on within fifteen miles
or so, all have to do is to run up it with a
spy-glass But you must be hungry, and
am sure the dinner is cooked Come in,
my friends; it is but n rough place, but
well enough for these savage parts; and
can tell you what we have Got-a French
cook" And he led the way to the yeranda.
As was following him, and wondering
what on earth he could mean by this, there
suddenly appeared, through tn door that
opened on the vcranda from the house, a
dapper little man, dressed in neat, blue
cotton shirt, and shoes made of tanned hide,
and remarkable for busting air. and
most enormous black mustachios, shaped
into an upward curve and coming to a
point for all the world like pair of buff
falo-hOrns.
Madame bids me for to say that dinner
Is sarvcd. Messieurs, my compliments"
then suddenly percciving Umslopogaas,
who was lettering along after us and play
ing with his battle-ax he threw up his
hands in establishment. "ih, mdts qucI
hommc!' he calculated in French, "qitcI
sdrTdgc Gfcrucri Take but note of his
huge choppare and the great pit in his
head"
"Ay," said Mr.. Mackenzie. what are
you talking about, AlphonseE'
Talking aboutr' replied the little
Frenchman, his eyes still fixed upon I'M
slopogaas, whose general appearance
seemed to fascinate him; why | talk of
him'-and he rudely pointed-'of &C mon
sicur nOir."
At this everybody began To laugh. and
Umslopogaas, pcrceiving that he was the
object of remark, frowned ferociously; for
he had most lordly dislike of ANYTHING
like a personal liberty.
'ParblcUr said Alphonse The is angered
he makes the grimaces. l like not his
air vanish And he did, with consid-
cradle rapidity.
Mr.. Mackenzie joined heartily in the
shout of laughter which we INDUCED in.
He is y queer character-Alphonse," he
said, by and by will tell you his history;
in the meanwhile let us try his cooking"
might l ask, " said Sir Henry. after we
had eaten n most excellent dinner, 'how
you came to have French cook in these
wildss"
oh" answered Mrs. Macke e. ''he
arrived here of his own accord about year
ago, and asked 10 be taken into our ser
vice. He had got into some trouble in
France, and fled to Zanzibar, where he
found an application had been made by the
French government for his eNtradition.
Whereupon he rushed off up-country, and
fell in, when nearly starved, with our car
AVIAN of men, who were bringing us our
annual supply of goods, and was brought
on here. You should get him 10 tell you
the story
When dinner was over we lit our pipes,
and Sir Henry proceeded to give our host
Il description OF our journey up kere, over
which he looked very grave